New television series, made in association with The Open University, looks at how dementia works and explores some of the radical new approaches to care for memory loss.

According to the NHS, one in three people in the UK over the age of 65 will develop dementia in their lifetime. It is a complex disease, with no known cure which can destroy recent memories but leave some older ones intact, causing people to retreat into their past. This three-part series on Channel 4 covers the themes of marriage, family and life in a dementia care unit.

Alongside sharing the experiences of patients and families who are still caring for people with dementia at home, this series explores new, sometimes controversial, approaches to dementia care. OU lecturer in health studies and academic consultant on the programme, Dr Sam Murphy, said “New approaches to dementia care take a much more holistic view of patients than has been taken in the past, prioritising their wellbeing. These approaches aim to alleviate the anxiety of people with dementia and their families, while celebrating the person they once were and helping their families reconnect with them.”

Dr Murphy adds: “With one in three of us predicted to be affected by dementia in our later years and the current lack of a cure, Dementiaville is essential viewing for everybody.”

To accompany the series OpenLearn, the OU’s home of free learning, has put together a wide range of free resources to aid understanding of dementia care. Some of the many activities available to learners include: ‘Louise’s story’ – a poignant audio tale of one woman and her family's experience of Alzheimer's disease, articles authored by OU academics on best practice in dementia care, and the opportunity to join a special discussion forum on dementia care in the UK. To find out more please visit: www.open.edu/openlearn/whats-on/tv/dementiaville

The first episode of Dementiaville is on Channel 4 at 21:00 on Thursday 4 June 2015. Full broadcast details, and watch again links, can be found on channel4.com: http://www.channel4.com/dementiaville

A Twofour Broadcast and Group M Entertainment co-production for Channel 4 in association with The Open UniversitySeries Director – Pamela GordonExecutive Producers for Twofour - David Clews & Andrew Mackenzie-BettyExecutive Producers for GME - Abigail Adams & Tony MoulsdaleBroadcast Commissioner for The Open University – Caroline OgilvieAcademic Consultants for The Open University – Dr Carol Komaromy and Dr Sam Murphy

ENDS

Notes to editor

Further information and statistics on dementia in the UK can be found on the NHS website: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia-guide/pages/about-dementia.aspx